Kerala steps up healthcare measures to prevent infant deaths in Attappadi
Following infant deaths in Attappadi, Kerala’s Health Department is enhancing healthcare by appointing specialists, constructing a new medical block, and introducing mobile units and paediatric ambulances to improve regional emergency and newborn services.
Following infant deaths in Attappadi, Kerala’s Health Department is enhancing healthcare by appointing specialists, constructing a new medical block, and introducing mobile units and paediatric ambulances to improve regional emergency and newborn services.
Following infant deaths in Attappadi, Kerala’s Health Department is enhancing healthcare by appointing specialists, constructing a new medical block, and introducing mobile units and paediatric ambulances to improve regional emergency and newborn services.
Palakkad: Following a rise in infant deaths in Attappadi, the Kerala Health Department has moved to strengthen healthcare facilities in the region by appointing additional specialist doctors and improving newborn care and emergency services.
Health and Devaswom Minister K Muraleedharan announced the measures after visiting Attappadi and holding a review meeting with health officials and local representatives on Friday. He said the interventions were planned based on an assessment of the situation and discussions with healthcare workers and public representatives.
Additional specialist doctors, including paediatricians, gynaecologists and anaesthesiologists, will be appointed at the Kottathara Tribal Speciality Hospital, over and above the existing staff strength.
A new block with facilities for newborn care and an emergency operation theatre will also be constructed at the hospital with the assistance of NABARD.
The Thrissur Medical College Hospital and Kottathara Tribal Speciality Hospital will function under a spoke-and-hub model to facilitate coordination between paediatricians at the two institutions and ensure specialised treatment for children.
The radiology department at Kottathara hospital will be strengthened by ensuring the services of a radiologist from Thrissur Medical College Hospital once a week. A paediatric ambulance facility will also be introduced, while the neonatal and paediatric departments will be expanded in collaboration with Thrissur Medical College Hospital.
The minister also announced plans to increase the number of field staff and introduce a mobile medical unit to improve healthcare delivery in the region.
The government will also consider providing cooked meals to pregnant women under the Janani Janmaraksha scheme, implemented by the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Development Department, instead of the existing financial assistance of ₹2,000. Muraleedharan said he would discuss the proposal with the minister concerned.
The recommendations of the expert committee that studied infant deaths in Attappadi will be examined in detail before steps are taken to implement them, he added.
District Collector Sudheer K, Health Department Additional Director Dr Reetha, District Medical Officer Dr K Bindu Thomas and National Health Mission Tribal Health Nodal Officer Dr Vidya R Vijayan were among those who attended the review meeting.
Members of the expert committee, including State Tribal Health Nodal Officer Dr Harikumar, National Health Mission Maternal and Child Health Nodal Officer Dr Joy John, and specialists from medical colleges and hospitals in Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur and Kollam, also participated. Representatives of local panchayats and officials from various departments were present.